by Patrick Sheils

The Secret Land examines the tension between individual purpose that propels us to live our day-to-day lives, contrasted against the backdrop of a seemingly purposeless universe governed by indifferent laws. Through this conflict, Sheils strives to find moments we can celebrate while questioning their authenticity. He ponders the effect of a purposeless world on love, sorrow and beauty. Is there any truth to these abstract concepts? How might other individuals at different stages of their life deal with such a schism, and how do those realities dictate the story arc of ones life? Is it possible for one to create a new world by sacrificing the old?

About the Author

Patrick Sheils is an ISA Certified Arborist and Arboricultural Consultant. He is currently studying English as a graduate student at Tiffin University. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from SUNY College at Old Westbury and a Career Diploma in Landscape Design from Ashworth College. He is a Certified Environmental Specialist with the International Association of Continuing Education and Training and holds additional certifications with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Patrick is a professional member of both the Cornell Cooperative Extension and New York State Arborists. He was inducted into the Pi Lambda Theta International Honor Society in 2007. His poetry and short stories have appeared in the Spring 2018 issue of Harmonia Creative Writing Journal and the Winter 2018 issue of Aberration Labyrinth. He lives in Oyster Bay, New York with Catherine the Great.

What They’re Saying…

Sheils’ debut is a fierce and unrelenting collection of prose that pulls no punches, even until its conclusion.

~ James D. Deaux IV, Author
The Student Writer’s Guide to Avoiding Dead Words

“Patrick Sheils’ honest, intimate writing discovers the emotion in imagery, using it to build a bridge between life’s moments of mundanity and extreme gravity. In managing to make sense of those seemingly conflicting worlds, he’ll make you feel seen and soothed in your own journey for purpose in our climate of escalating chaos.

~ Kevin Fallon, Senior Entertainment Writer
The Daily Beast

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